pitchers/catchers

[HAMMER]

A good catcher will make a good pitcher look like she is unhittable ! The catchers set up ( when & where ) is a big deal ! How long the pitcher has to pick up the target is important at least at a young age. A late flash or change of the target in the middle of the pitch can have a effect on the pitchers delivery. Allot of little things that effect a pitcher that allot of coaches don't even pick up on can and will effect young pitchers. Some times I don't think some of the young pitchers don't recognize why they feel more comfortable with a certain catcher.

[soreshins]

I'm sorry, 10U catchers don't "frame" pitches. The best thing a 10U catcher can do for her pitcher is to catch the ball. A 10U catcher doesn't "know" where to position themselves for a given hitter.

A "good" catcher is a kid who catches every pitch they can get a glove on. A good catcher is a kid who blocks balls in dirt, snags pitches over her head, hustles to back stop when the ball gets by and hustles to cover bunts. These are the characteristics of a good catcher at any level. Along the way good catchers learn tricks to make marginal pitches look better and lobby for their pitcher without irritating the umpire. However, no catcher can make a bad pitch a good pitch or make an average pitcher look like a good pitcher.

[denver_dog]

A good catcher will make a good pitcher look like she is unhittable ! The catchers set up ( when & where ) is a big deal ! How long the pitcher has to pick up the target is important at least at a young age. A late flash or change of the target in the middle of the pitch can have a effect on the pitchers delivery. Allot of little things that effect a pitcher that allot of coaches don't even pick up on can and will effect young pitchers. Some times I don't think some of the young pitchers don't recognize why they feel more comfortable with a certain catcher.

Very good points. Let the catcher call the pitches. I think it makes them more aware of what a certain batter can hit or not hit and where they want the pitcher to put the ball. Also keeps their mind more focused on where they set up.

[HAMMER]

I'm sorry, 10U catchers don't "frame" pitches. The best thing a 10U catcher can do for her pitcher is to catch the ball. A 10U catcher doesn't "know" where to position themselves for a given hitter.

A "good" catcher is a kid who catches every pitch they can get a glove on. A good catcher is a kid who blocks balls in dirt, snags pitches over her head, hustles to back stop when the ball gets by and hustles to cover bunts. These are the characteristics of a good catcher at any level. Along the way good catchers learn tricks to make marginal pitches look better and lobby for their pitcher without irritating the umpire. However, no catcher can make a bad pitch a good pitch or make an average pitcher look like a good pitcher.

You have not watched our catchers if that is your opinion of 10u catchers. I keep my eye on all the catchers in our age division and there is a big difference of catchers that work to get strikes for there pitcher. And yes they are starting at a young age now at least on the top teams with good coaching. Allot of catchers parents take there kid to catching instructors the same as the pitchers going to pitching lessons. A catcher that is taught to start taking care of a pitcher at a young age will grow fast behind the plate.

[THE MAD-DOG99]

I'm sorry, 10U catchers don't "frame" pitches. The best thing a 10U catcher can do for her pitcher is to catch the ball. A 10U catcher doesn't "know" where to position themselves for a given hitter.

A "good" catcher is a kid who catches every pitch they can get a glove on. A good catcher is a kid who blocks balls in dirt, snags pitches over her head, hustles to back stop when the ball gets by and hustles to cover bunts. These are the characteristics of a good catcher at any level. Along the way good catchers learn tricks to make marginal pitches look better and lobby for their pitcher without irritating the umpire. However, no catcher can make a bad pitch a good pitch or make an average pitcher look like a good pitcher.

You're joking right..??

There are many 10U catchers that frame pitches and position themselves to make
" marginal pitches or balls" ...strikes...

[DonnieS]

I'm sorry, 10U catchers don't "frame" pitches. The best thing a 10U catcher can do for her pitcher is to catch the ball. A 10U catcher doesn't "know" where to position themselves for a given hitter.

A "good" catcher is a kid who catches every pitch they can get a glove on. A good catcher is a kid who blocks balls in dirt, snags pitches over her head, hustles to back stop when the ball gets by and hustles to cover bunts. These are the characteristics of a good catcher at any level. Along the way good catchers learn tricks to make marginal pitches look better and lobby for their pitcher without irritating the umpire. However, no catcher can make a bad pitch a good pitch or make an average pitcher look like a good pitcher.

You're joking right..??

There are many 10U catchers that frame pitches and position themselves to make
" marginal pitches or balls" ...strikes...

MD, I think you guys are talking apples and oranges here. I totally agree with you. My kid has been very fortunate to have had 2 very good catchers with her most of the time, one catches for her in both travel and high school and is dedicated to making my kid look ... well, better than she is, really.

[THE MAD-DOG99]

Well Donnie,

Make no mistake and I know you coach, you have to have very good pitchers..first of all , that can hit spots and are'nt throwing everything to the back stop..

Just shocked that soreshins think that 10U catchers don't do these things..??

[soreshins]

I must admit to being uninfomed concerning the abilities of 10U (aka baby ball) catchers. Please educate me on how a 10U catcher works to get strikes for her pitcher. Apart from catching the pitch and staying out of the umpire's line of sight, what do they do? I will pass the information along to our gold catchers, perhaps they can pick up some pointers from your 10 year olds.

At 10U most catchers are working on catching the ball, blocking pitches and the positioning to make throws to bases. But then I haven't seen your 10U DDs catch.

[THE MAD-DOG99]

I must admit to being uninfomed concerning the abilities of 10U (aka baby ball) catchers. Please educate me on how a 10U catcher works to get strikes for her pitcher. Apart from catching the pitch and staying out of the umpire's line of sight, what do they do? I will pass the information along to our gold catchers, perhaps they can pick up some pointers from your 10 year olds.

At 10U most catchers are working on catching the ball, blocking pitches and the positioning to make throws to bases. But then I haven't seen your 10U DDs catch.

Well Shins, get offended if you like..??

You might want to check out some 10U " A" teams in action...??

I will try to get you some video..??

As far as my DD, she has taken lessons from a Gold coach for over a year, so maybe you can ask her..??

Also I am sure some other 10U dads of catchers can chime in to tell you how wrong you are..!!!

[HAMMER]

I am a pitchers dad not a catchers dad, and I will tell you our catchers frame pitches and try to pull them into the zone. They are not always consistent but they are 10u catchers. They also load when they have base runners (little tricks of there own). We have one catcher that ask for appeals on swings and ask the ump where that pitch was ( high or low or outside ). I think soreshins needs to check out how far 10u softball ( baby ball as he calls it ) has come since his dd has played it. It may have been baby ball at one time but the size and savvy of some of these kids now they can hurt you. At Nat's there was a pitcher from the Ride that had to be six foot in 10u. It is not uncommon to see pitchers throwing in the mid to low fifties. I also saw several girls this year hit balls over 200ft fences, so it is safe to say the game has has changed at the 10u level since soreshins has last watched it.